Hot bending-machine for the treatment of printing-plates.



M. A. MoKEE. v HOT BENDING MACHINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF PRINTING PLATES.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 27,1909.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l I J l l I I I I I I I I |I|||||| i i fizuenl on:

MQA. MoKEE. HOT BBNDING MACHINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF PRINTING PLATES.

I APPLIGATION FILED APR.27, 1909. 1,043,334.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Illll 42 kwh Wneomedv I l zwe nQ/w- M. A. McKEE.

HOT BENDING MACHINE FOR THE TREATMENT Or PRINTING PLATES. APPLICATIONFILED APR. 21, 1909.

1,043,334. Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

M. A. MoKEB. HOT BBNDING MACHINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF PRINTING'PLATBS.

I APPLICATION FILED APR.27, 1909.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Illllllfllli MILTON A. MOKEE, OF WESTERLY, RHODE' ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO C.B. COTTREIIL & SONS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

HOT BENDING-MACHINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF PRINTING-PLATES.

To all whim if; mag concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON A. MCKEE, a citizen of the United States, andresident of \Vesterly, in the county of \Vashington and State of RhodeIsland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hot Bending-Machines for the Treatment of Printing- Plates, of which the followingis a specification.

The object of this present invention is to provide a hot bending machinefor the treatment of printing plates, the parts of which machine beingso constructed and arranged that local pressure may be applied to therequired degree upon the back of a previously curved printing plate atany desired point on the same to bring the entire plate to an absolutelyaccurate curve so as to insure an even printing impression by the platewhen in use.

i In the formation of a printing plate, certain portions of the plateare necessarily made thicker than other portions thereof and therefore,when the printing plate is being rolled into its curved form in theusual manner, it is not always bent into a perfect curve but will besomewhat flattened at the thicker portions thereof owing to the greaterresistance at these points to the curving rolls.

It is to obviate the above uneven curving of the plate that this presentinvention is directed.

This invention furthermore consists more particularly in the provisionof a machine provided with a bending box comprising heated stationaryand movable members arranged to receive a printing plate between them;means being provided for applying pressure locally to the back of theplate while held between the stationary and movable heated members ofthe bending-box.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents the machine in sideelevation, Fig. 2 represents the machine in end elevation, the uppermember of the hot bendingbox being shown in full lines in its loweredposition and in dotted lines in its raised position, Fig. 3 is atransverse vertical section taken in the plane of the line A-A of Fig.1, the pressure shoe and its screw being shown in full lines in itsvertical position and in dotted lines in another position, Fig. 4represents the machine in top plan, and

Fig. 5 is a detail longitudinal vertical sec Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed April 27, 1909.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

Serial No. 492,541.

'tion taken in the plane of the line B-B of Fig. 2.

The hot bending box comprises a lower stationary member 1 and an uppermovable member 2, which members are kept at the desired degree of heatfor permitting the proper treatment of the printing plate, not shownherein. Any suitable means may be employed for heat-ing the members ofthe hot bending box, such, for instance, as gas burners 3 and 4.

The lower member of the hot bending box is provided with an open-endedsemi-cylindrical recess 5 for receiving the curved printing platetherein and the upper member of the hot bending box is curvedsemi-cylindrically for engaging the back of the printing lplate whenlocated within the hot bending Legs 6 depend from the stationary lowermember 1 0f the hot bending box and form a suitable support therefor tobring the box up to the desired height for ready manipulation of theprinting plates. These legs (3 are arranged in pairs and are spacedrigidly apart by tie rods 7.

The means which I have shown for moving the upper member of the hotbending box in a right line toward and away from the lower member, isconstructed, arranged and operated as follows :-Vertical lifting rods 8extend through and are guided in their movements by the lower member ofthe hot bending box and are rigidly secured at their upper ends to thelaterally extended arms 9 of the upper member of the hot bending box. Inthe present instance, these arms are shown as secured to said uppermember by bolts 10 and the upper ends of the lifting rods 8 are providedwith shoulders 11 between which and nuts 12 the arms 0 are secured.These arms 9 are of yoke form, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, to provideroom for the segment to be hereinafter described. The lower ends of thelifting rods 8 are provided with racks 13 which mesh with pinions 14fixed to the ends of a rock shaft 15 mounted in suitable bearingsprovided by hangers 16 depending from the lower member of the hotbending box. A weight 17 attached to the free ends of arms 18 fixed tothe rock shaft 15 tends to rock the shaft in aposition to lift the uppermember of the hot bending box away from the lower member. An arm 19fixed to the rock shaft 15 is provided with adjusting screws 20, 21,engaging the opposite sides of an abutment 22 upon a trip arm 23 looselymounted on the cross shaft 15 so that the position of the said arm withrotative relation to the cross shaft l5 may be accurately adjusted.

It is to be understood that when the arms 19 and 23 are adjusted, theywill both move together with the cross shaft 15.

A tripping device for engaging the free end of the arm 23 when the uppermember of the hot bending box is lowered into engagement with theback ofthe printing plate, is provided, which tripping device is constructed,arranged and operated as fol: lows :A rock-shaft 24 is mounted in onepair of legs 6 and has fixed thereto an arm 25 arranged to engage thearm 23 on the cross shaft 15 to hold the weight 17 raised and the uppermember of the hot bending box lowered until the arm 25 is released fromthe arm 23. A foot lever 26.is pivoted at 27 to one pair of legs 6 andis connected by a rod 28 to an arm 29 fixed to the rock shaft 24:. Aspring 30 surrounds a rod 31 connected at one end to an arm 32 fixed tothe rock shaft 24 and having its other end sliding through a guide 33 onone of the pairs of legs 6, which spring 30 is interposed between thesaid guide 33 and a. collar 34 on therod 31, tending to hold the arm 25in the path of the arm 23 on the rock shaft 15. e

The means which I have shown for forcing the upper member of ahotbending box toward the lower member thereof a suiticient distance topermit the interlocking of the tripping device is also the means which Iemploy for applying local pressure to the back of the printing plate,which means is constructed, arranged and operated as follows :A doublesegment, comprising two members 35, 36, has its base secured rigidly tothe top of the lower stationary member of the hot bending box, as, forinstance, by bolts 37, which segment spans the upper movable member ofthe hot bending box and also the recess 5 in the lower stationarymember. This segment is cut away asuflicient distance to permit theuppermember to move away from the lower member a limited distance, thesaid segment serving as a stop to limit the upward movementof the uppermember away from the lower member.

A hand screw38 has a screw threaded engagement with and extends througha block 39 provided with trunnions 40, 41, rotatably mounted in themembers 35, 36, of the segment. This hand screw 38 is provided with asuitable handle 42 for turning the same. The lower end of this handscrew 38 is provided with a shoe 43 arranged to travel along a curvedplate 44' secured along the concave face of the upper member of the hotbending box about midway its ends.

the back of the plate.

This shoe 43 is provided with a stud 45 uprising therefrom and enteringan axial recess 46 in the lower end of the hand screw screw 38, whichlatch is fitted to travel along the double segment 35, 36, as the handscrew is swung into different angular positions with respect to theupper member of the hot bending box, said latch being fitted to dropinto any pair of a series of notches 48 in said segment, for holding:the hand screw against rocking movement when adjusted into its desiredangular position but permitting a longitudinal movement of said handscrew.

In operation, supposing the hand screw 38 to be unscrewed and the uppermember of the hot bending box held at the limit of its raised positionby the weight 17.; the curved printing plate is inserted into position.within the recess 5 between the upper and lower members; the hand screwbeing inits vertical position. The hand screw 38 is then screwedinwardly thus forcing the upper member downwardly into clampingengagement with the printing plate. As this upper, member movesdownwardly, the lifting bars -8 will also be moved downwardly and theirracks 13 will rotate the pinions 14 and thereby rock the rock shaft 15.This will raise the arm 18 and thereby the weight 17 and. lower theinterlocked arms 19 and 23. As the upper and lower members are broughtinto their clamping position, the arm 23 will be swung downwardlysufliciently to permit the arm 25 of the tripping device to swing intoposition above the arm 23, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, thus locking theupper and lower members of the hot bending box in their clampingposition. The hand screw 38 may then, be unscrewed sufiiciently topermit its free rocking movement. released from its engagement with thedouble segment and the hand screw is then rocked into any desiredangular position, thus moving its shoe 43 along the curved plate 44 toany posit-ion where it is desired to exert a local pressure upon theback of the printing plate to insure its proper curvature. The latch 47may then be inserted into its adjacent pair of notches 48 in the doublesegment 35, 36, for holding the hand screw in position. The hand screwmay then be screwed inwardly to the desired amount to exert the requiredpressure upon After the plate has been treated, the latch 47 may bereleased from the segment and the hand screw unscrewed and swung intoits vertical position.

The double handled latch 47 is then The foot lever 26 may then bedepressed for swinging the arm 25 of the tripping device into a positionto release the arm 23 of the rock shaft 15. The upper member of the hotbending box will be automatically moved away from the lower member underthe inture, the machine at the same time being very; simple and rapid inoperation.

It is evident that various changes might be resorted to in theconstruction, form and arrangement of the several parts withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope ofmy invention; hence I do not wishto limit myself strictlyto the structure herein set forth, but

What I claim is 1. In a machine of the character described, a hotbending box comprising stationary and movable members arranged toreceive a previously curved printing plate between them,-means forbringing the members into clamping engagement with the plate andswinging means for applying pressure 10- cally to the concave back ofthe said plate at different points thereon.

2. In a machine of the character described,

' a hot bending box comprising stationary and movable members arrangedto receive a printing plate between them, means tending to separate themembers and means for bringing 'the members into clamping engagementwith the plate and for applying pressure locally to the back ofsaidplate at any desired point thereon.

3. In a machine of the character described. a hot bending box comprisingstationary and movable members arranged to receive a printing platebetween them, means tending to separate the members, means for bringingthe members into clamping engagement with the plate and means forlocking the members in their clamping position."

4. In a machine of the character described, a hot bending box comprisingstationary and movable members arranged to receive a printing platebetween them, means tending to separate the members, means for bringingthe members into clamping engagement with the plate and for applyingpressure locally to the said plate and means for locking the members intheir clamping position.

5. In a machine of the character described, a hot bending box comprisingstationary and movable members arranged to receive a printing platebetween them, means tending to separate the members, means for bringingthe members into clamping engagement with the plate and a trippingdevice for locking the members in their clamping position.

6. In a machine of the character described, a hot bending box comprisingstationary and movable members arranged to receive a printing platebetween them, means tending to separate the members, means for bringingthe members into clamping engagement with the plate and for applyingpressure locally to the said plate and a tripping device for locking themembers in their clamping position;

7 Ina machine of the character described, a hot bending box comprisingstationary and movable members arranged to receive a previously curvedprinting plate between them and a hand screw pivotally mounted on thestationary member. capable of being swung into different positions withrespect to the plate and fitted to engage the movable member forapplying pressure locally to the concave back of the said plate atdifferent points thereon.

S. In a machine of the character described, a hot bending box comprisingstationary and movable members arranged to receive a previously curvedprinting plate between them and a hand screw pivotally mounted on thestationary member, capable of being swung into diiferent positions withrespect to the plate and fitted to engage the movable member forbringing the members into clampmg engagement with the plate and forapplying pressure locally to the concave back of said plate at differentpoints thereon.

9. In a machine of the character described, a hot bending box comprisingstationary and movable members arranged to receive a printing platebetween them. means tending to separate the members and a hand screwmounted on the stationary member and fitted to engage the movable memberfor bringing the members into clamping engagement with the plate.

10. In a machine of the character described, a hot bending boxcomprising stationary and movable members arranged to receive a printingplate between them, means tending to separate the members and a handscrew pivotally mounted on the stationary member and fitted to engagethe movable member for bringing the members into clamping engagementwith the plate and for applying pressure locally to the said plate.

11. In a machine of the character de scribed, a hot bending boxcomprising sta tionary and movable members arranged to receive aprinting plate between them, means tending to separate the members. ahand screw pivotally mounted on the stationary member and fitted toengage the tionary member and fitted to engage the movable member forapplying pressure locally to said plate and means for supporting thescrew in its difierent angular positions.

13. In a machine of the character described, a hot bending boxcomprising stationary and movable members arranged to receive a printingplate between them, a

. hand screw pivotally mounted on the statlonary member and fitted toengage the movable member for bringing the members into clampingengagement with the plate and for applying pressure locally to the saidplate and means for supporting the screw in its different angularpositions.

7 14:. In a machine of the character described, a hot bending boxcomprising stationary and movable members arranged to receive a printingplate between them, means tending to separate the members, a hand screwpivotally mounted on the stationary member and fitted to engage themovable member-for bringin the members into clamping engagement wit theplate and for applying pressure locally to the said plate, means forsupporting the screw in its different angular positions and a manuallyoperated tripping device for locking the members in their clampingposition.

15. In a machine of the character described, a hot bending boxcomprising stationary and movable members arranged to receive a printingplate between them, means tending to separate the members comprising arock shaft having a rack and pinion engagement with the movable memberand a weight tending to rock the said shaft and means for bringing themembers into clamping engagement with the plate.

16. In a machine of the character described, a hot bending boxcomprising stationary and movable members arranged to receive a printingplate between them,

means tending to separate the members comprising a rock shaft having arack and pinion engagement'with the movable member and a weight tendingto rock the said shaft, and means for bringin the members into clampingengagement with the plate and for applying pressure locally to the saidplate.

1 In a machine of the character described, a hot bending box comprisingstationary and-movable members arranged to receive a printing platebetween them, means tending to separate the members-comprising a rockshaft having a rack and pinion engagement with the movable member and aweight tending to rock said shaft, means for bringing the member intoclamping engagement with the plate, and a manually operated trippingdevice for locking the members in their clamping position comprising anarm carried by the rock shaft and a spring pressed arm arranged toengagesaid rock shaft arm,

18. In a machine of the. character described, a hot bending boxcomprising stationary and movable members arranged to receive a printingplate between them, means tending to separate the members comprising arock shaft having a rack and pinion engagement with the movable memberand a weight tending to rock said shaft, means for bringing the membersinto clamping engagement with the plate and for applying pressurelocally to the plate, and a manually operated tripping device forlocking the members in their clamping position comprising an arm carriedby the rock shaft and a spring pressed arm arranged to engage said rockshaft arm.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name in presence of two witnesses, this twenty-sixth .day of April,A. D. 1909.

MILTON A. MoKEE.

Witnesses A. 'R. STILLMAN, Gr. BENDIox.

